The Doors-Strange Days

Strange Days

The strangeness of this album is indicated not merely by the title, but also by the obscure photography source.'Alabama Song', from the first album, is a compostion by a strange musician from early century Germany named Kurt Weill, and was originally sung by his wife, the gritty songstress Lotte Lenya.This street on the cover, is where Weill and Lenya were prominently photographed.The Doors were obviously quite taken by this unusual looking place.The characters spookily and humourously gracing this street here on "Strange Days", further enhance the European sentiments of this album.The Doors are of course, an American rock group.But the underlaying mood is here is most definitely not of Americam typicality.The cynicism of the Berlin cabaret scene, of which 'Alabama Song' is an infamous part, runs steadily through almost every song on "Strange Days".A cynicism, which is in contrast to the slick pizazz of the Broadway cabaret culture of the Doors' countrymen.

The man with the fingers(Manzarek) must have dislodged the sound mechanism from some showground carousel to produce his contribution.It's a very different treatment to the upfront, clear and unreverbed sound of the first album's organ.This pretty musicality though, is set-off by excedingly dark lyrics, sung with the utmost gloom.The slide guitaring by Krieger sums up this contradictory sentiment with perfection.I often don't know whether to smile or to fear.Add to this Densmore's odd-ball choice of rhythms, and suddenly the carousel organ doesn't seem so pretty anymore.With the Doors, it's never really darkness by obvious means.They incorporate niceties, then display the perverted relationships that can exist with such things.

'Strange Days', organly chord-grinds its album name-sake onto the scene, true to its word.'You're Lost Little Girl', with an easily detectable bass-line, recieves delicate treatment from Krieger's guitar and Morrison's voice.I find this album's ballads to contain his career's most pleasant singing.'Love Me Two Times' is perhaps the only track which steps outside of this album's induction of emotional confusion.I've always loved the song's well-executed rhythmic interuptions.

Ray 'the Man' zarek, swirls throughout 'Unhappy Girl' like a Dutch organ-grinder with tulips painted on every of the instruments panels.And Krieger has no shame in bending the same note at the end of nearly every single phrase of the song.Semi-playfully, yet eerily aswell.

Next onboard, are broken pianos rollocking on a pirate's ship.A woman ghost,(maybe named Mary Celeste?) wearing a white laced dress flayling in the wind, and shipmates are screaming as the ship goes down, beneath the psychotic waves.Pain.This is 'Horse Latitudes'.(Actually a sea-fearing expression, perhaps likening the sea's power to that of a horse).It can't possibly mean anything.It's merely a dream.No melody to be found, it is a poetry reading atop sound tapestry.'Moonlight Drive' is quite American, but hangs onto the album's vague experimental theme due to excessive guitar-neck slithery, like a hyper-active child insisting on expressing every impulse simultaneously.

'People Are Strange', has arguably Morrison's best, most coherent lyrics.They're even cited in psychology text-books to describe inner symptoms of the global illness which is depression.City life lends itself to feelings of isolation.People are too rushed and enslaved to afford reassuring glances with each other as they're passing by.So, it's easy to feel alone and uncared for.'People Are Strange' is the soundtrack I have playing in my head in such circumstances, just as those confidently strutting down the city street would have 'Stayin Alive' by the Bee Gees as their soundtrack.(Cheesy, I know.But lets face it... if you're STRUTTING, you're already in a cheesy mood anyway).

'My Eyes Have Seen You' rocks itself into the perimeter of passible normalcy.But, bizarre traces just adhere it to this albums rule; The days must remain strange.'I Can't See Your Face In My Mind' introduces a marimba(Central American) with slightly Japanese inclinations.A soft brushing keeps rhythm with this gentille, musical snail.'When The Music's Over' retains the first album's screatchy organ, and the ocean-deep bass-line is well worthy of the song's extenuous length.Its primal creepiness, drags the album home... clawing and screaming!

Preferred Trendy Chemical Amusement aid for this Album: Alcohol